Villagers hold back boxes

MAREA and Kaivukuvu villagers in Ihu, Gulf province, held back ballot boxes yesterday because many voters could not find their names on the electoral roll.
Gulf provincial returning officer Poevare Tore said police were sent there in the afternoon to allow polling to proceed.
“Both Marea and Kaivukuvu villagers in Ihu, have held up the ballot boxes. We were advised that they were not going to release the ballot boxes because not many of them had their names on the list,” Tore said.
“Security personnel deployed to provide security could not do much, thus we dispatched police today (yesterday).”
He said polling had been going well in all parts of the province except in Marea and Kaivukuvu villages.
“Polling in the province has gone well so far, we have covered most East Kerema villagers, Kaintiba and Kotidanga are expected to be ended by Friday.
 despite the late start caused by bad weather,” Tore said.
He said Nugebe and Hauaia, in the hinterlands of West Kikori, had not started polling because of bad weather.
“The helicopters are ready to take polling officials to the polling sites, however the bad weather has caused fog in the mountain gaps helicopters have to fly in and out of.
“Once the weather clears we should have polling for the two areas,” Tore said.